Loose leaf binder



Feb.v 7, 1933. P. o. UNSER 1,896,872

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. l, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 7, 1933. P. o. UNGER 1,896,872

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. l. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /n vE/v TR P62, LMT/f /QTTORH YS Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. iAUL O. UNGER, OF sYRACUsE,'NEW YORK, Assreno'n fro MCMILLAN BOOK COMPANY,

OF sYnAoUsn, NEW Yonx, A CORPORATION or NEW 'YORK n LOOSE 'LEAF :BINDER Application led November 1, 1929. Serial No. 404,044.

This invention relates Vto a new and improved loose leaf binder and is in'part a continuation of my co-pending application for improvements in loose lea-f binder,`f`1led 5 September 23, 1929, Serial No. 394,536.

This invention is Vparticularly directed to-A ward that type of loose leaf binder in which the opposed prongs of the binder are carried on opposed back members which back mem- 1 10 bers are hingedly connected together.

Inusing binders of this character, it fre# quently becomes necessary tomovethe back members about their hinge so that the opposed prongs will be moved from each other to permit manipulation yof the sheets in the binder or to permit sheets to be added to or removed from the binder.

Binders of this type are usually quite large in size and vquite heavy and in addition the covers are usually covered with leather or canvas.

Vhen this is the case, it is diiicult to move theback member of the binderon the table or desk on which it is supported because there is a considerable amount of friction between the back members and the table or desk upon whichthey rest.

When the back members of abinder are in the closed position and itis desired to open them by moving the back members about their hinge, of necessitythe portions of the back members which are in contact with the supporting table will be moved towards each other along the table surface.

Similarly when the back members are in the open position and are then `moved to the closed position, those portions kof the back members which are in contact with the table will be moved away from .each other along the surface of the table.

VThe main object of my invention is to provide a ,loose leaf binder of such a type that the `friction between the back members .of the binder and the surfaceof the table or desk upon Vwhich it is supported` willbe minimized to the greatest possible extent so that the movement of such' back members in relation to each other will be facilitated. i

Another object is fto providea binder of such construction that lthe main body of ythe binder will be at all times supported out of contact with the surface of the table or desk on which it issupported. 4 Otherobfects and advantages relate to the l size, shape and arrangementof parts all as will more fully appear from the following Y descriptiontaken in connection with the `ac companying drawings in Which:-r y

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved binder in the closed position.

Figure2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is a section, partially in full, on line 3- -3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is anend elevation, partially broken away, of my improved binder with the back members in the closed position.

Figure 5 is an elevation similar to Figure 4 with the back members in a partially open position. f Y l It 'will be understood that my invention may beused with various types of binders and with binders having prongs of different types and having dierent types ,of actuating and locking mechanism, but for the purpose of describing my invention I havehere shown a binder comprising a back member `1 hingedly connected to a second back member 2 by'ak piano hinge ,3. d

In back member 1, I provide a plurality, one only here being shown, of spaced arcuate prongs 4, and in back member 2, I provide a plurality, one only here being shown, of arcuate prongs 5 in spaced relation and in staggered relation to the prongs 4 kcarried .on back memberrl.

A cover 6 is hingedly connected to one edge of back member k1 as by a piano hinge 7 and a cover 8 is hingedly connected to back member 2 by a piano hinge 9. Both back members 1 and 2, as here shown, are approximately rectangular in cross-section with the piano hingey located at their rear inner longitudinal edges.

One the rear louter longltudinal edge of back member 1, I provide spaced rollers 10 andl 11`and on the rear outer longitudinal edgeof back member 2, `I provide spaced rollers 12 ,and 13.

As perhaps may best bessen from 'Figure4, `109 the size and position of the rollers just described is such that when the back members 1 and 2 are in the closed position they willbe f raised a distance above the top o-f the table or other support indicated at -aso that only the rollersthemselves will be in contact `with VsuchV supporting surface.

y, TheY rollers carried on back member 2 areV Vmounted inra' manner identical tothe way inA which the rollers are mounted on back mem-- ber 1 so that a description of the mounting .of the rollers 10 and 11 on back member 1 l will be a description of the mounting of the rollers 12 and 13 on back member'2.'

As perhaps may best be seen from Figures 2 and 3, I provide in the outer bottom longitudinal edgeof back member 1 and encased therein a shaft-14 which has one end secured' in position by a clip 15 secured in back member'l and which has its other end secured inback member 1 by a. clip 16.

[Adjacent one end of baclcniember 1 a porouter end of the cut-away portion 17.

Similarly, I provide a. clip 20 adjacent the innerl end of the cut-away portion 18, the

i clip 16vbeing positioned adjacent the outer end of the cut-away portion 18. n The rollers 10 and V11 are preferably formed of rubber and are provided with internal bushings 21y and 22 preferably of brass. Y Y

' The internal diameterof thebushings 21 and 22 is such that the rollers 10 Aand 11 may rotate'freely on the shaft 14.

RollerlO is' positioned on shaft 14 in the cut-away portion 17 which is provided to permit the rotation of roller 10 on shaft 14. Similarly, roller 11 is positioned on shaft 14 vin the cut-away portion 18.

For the purpose of securing back members Y 1 and2 in thev closed or open position,- I provide'a latch. 23 having one end pivotally 1 into back member 2.y u u f .Although I have not here shown a keeper mounted as by a pivotl pin 24 in backmem'- ber 1 and-having its other end extending for latch 23, I prefer to provide a slidable bar. in back member 2which is'adapted to releasably engage r notches in latch Y23 as shownand described in my co-pendingapplication heretofore referred to. f z When the baclrmeinbers 1 and 2 of the binder are in the closed position andthe covers' 6 and V8 are in the open position as indicated on Figure 4 and it is then desired to open the back members, the latch 23 is released and the back members 1 and 2 are then moved about their hinge 3 into the position shown in Figure 5.

Itwill beobvious that during the lmove-k ment of back members 1l and 2 about their hinge3, the rollers 10 and 12 will move towards each other as will thev rollers-11` 1 and 13.1'Y n .Y

Similarly, when the back members 1 and 2 are lin the open position as shownin Figure 5 and they are moved abouttheir hinge 3 to bring them into the closed position shown i' in Figurep4,.it will be obvious that the rollers 10 and 12 will lbe moved away from each otheras will the rollers 11 and 13.V

Inasmuch as all' ofthe rollers 10, 11, 12 and 13 are free to rotate upon the shafts on which they are carried, these movementsof opposed rollers towards and from each other will be accomplished with' the minimum amount of frictionV between them and` thev surface Vof the'table on which the book is supported and therefore the manipulation of' thebinder to cause the back members 1 and 2 to be moved to the open or closed position will be accomplished fwith the minimumI vbe understood that-the binder is so designed that it'may be further opened to bring the ends of opposed prongs in spaced relation so that leaves may beplaced on or removed from the prongs. It will also be understood that my invention may be used with various types of binders which employ hingedback members'for although I have shown and described aspecific struc-ture and form of part as an exemplification'of an embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to restrictmyself to the vexact size, shape or relation of parts as various changes may be madek withinthe scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

` 1. vIn aV loose' leaf binder, a pair of elongated back members having angular outer vcornersy at the r'ear','hingey means connecting theinneredges of'said back membersleaf holding members carried by said back inembers andmovable toward and fromv each other about said hingemeans, each of said back members having an opening in its angular "outer corner, rods mounted Vin said back `members kand -extending across said openings,

and a( rollerinouiited on each of'said rods and projecting rearwardly from the rear wall of its respective back member and laterally from the side Wall of its respective back member, so that in any position of movementl of said back members about said hinge means, the back members of the binder Will rest on said rollers to facilitate opening and closing of the book.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of elongated back members having angular outer corners at the rear, hinge means connecting the inner edges of said back members, leafholding members carried by said back members and movable toward and from each other about said hinge means, each of said back members having openings in its angular outer corner, rods mounted in said back members and extending across said openings, pairs of spaced rollers mounted on said rods and said rollers projecting rearwardly from the rear Wall of their respective iback members and laterally from the side Wall of their respective back members so that in any position of movement of said back members about said hinge means the back members of the l binder Will rest on said rollers to facilitate opening and closing of the book.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of elongated back members having angular outer corners atthe rear, hinge means connecting the inner edges of said back members, leafholding members carried by said back members and movable toward and from each other about said hinge means, each of said back members having a pair of openings in its angular outer corner, a rod mounted in each of said back members and extending vacross said openings, and a pair of spaced rollers mounted on each of said rods and projecting rearwardly from the rear Wall of their respective back members and laterally from the side Wall of their respective back members so that in any position of movement of said back members about said hinge means the back members of the binder will rest on said rollers to facilitate opening and closing of the book.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17 day of October, 1929.

PAUL O. UNGER. 

